Roland Blackmon

Roland Blackmon attended Booker T. Washington High School in his native New Orleans but ran for the US Army in 1952 and finished third at the US Olympic Trials to make the US Olympic team. He was running fourth until near the end of race, when Bob DeVinney smashed the final hurdle and dropped from second to fourth, with Blackmon and DeVinney running the same time, but Blackmon got the judges’ decision for the final spot.

In the 1950s Blackmon was in the Signal Corps in the United States European Command, stationed in Augsburg, Karlsruhe, and Nuremburg, Germany, although it is known he served in the Korean Conflict. He won the US Inter-Services Championship in September 1951 in a military record of 53.8. In May 1952 Blackmon won the US Army title in the 400 hurdles in 53.9 and then finished third at the US Inter-Services Championship behind winner Ed White, who was the first astronaut to walk in space and was assigned as senior pilot on the first Apollo mission, although he died in a tragic fire during pre-launch testing for Apollo 1.

Blackmon also fought as a lightweight boxer in the military, starting as early as 1950. He turned pro in December 1956, and fought through August 1958, finishing his short career with a record of 3 wins, 6 losses, and 2 draws in 11 professional bouts.

Personal Best: 400H – 51.7 (1952).